The Last Word Trivia Quiz

Answer: Iconoclast

Iconoclasm, destroying icons or religious symbols, can be carried out from genuine belief but can also be done for political reasons. For instance, an occupying power may destroy the symbols of the subject people to exert their authority. An example would be the destruction of the figures of Buddha in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Iconoclast can also be used in a less literal sense to describe someone who challenges the status quo.

Answer: Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty comes from the Greek language, with rhino referring to the nose and plasty meaning 'to shape'. The operation is often done for cosmetic reasons, to improve the appearance of the face, but can also be carried out to remedy damage caused by injury or birth defects.

There is evidence of rhinoplastic surgery being carried out in ancient times, in India and during the Roman Empire. One celebrity who owned up to a rhinoplasty is Jennifer Aniston, although she claimed it was done to remedy a deviated septum.

Answer: Plasticine

The word Plasticine is actually a registered trademark for a particular brand of modelling clay, but has passed into common usage for all types. It was developed in 1897 by an art teacher in England, for use by his students. The exact composition is a trade secret, but it includes calcium salts and petroleum jelly, and has the benefit of not drying out when exposed to air.

The creator of Wallace and Gromit, Nick Park, used plasticine to create his figures which can be seen in the animated films of 'A Grand Day Out' (1989) and 'The Wrong Trousers' (1993), among others.

Answer: Scholastic

Among the definitions are 'of or relating to a school'; 'academic'; 'education'. The word originally came from the Greek 'skholastikos', meaning learned or studious, via the Latin version of 'scholasticus'. The word can also be used as a noun to refer to a pedant or a follower of Scholasticism.

This was a form of teaching from the Middle Ages, which based learning on reasoning and inference. Well known teachers from this tradition include Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas.

Answer: Everlasting

As well as its literal meaning of being something neverending, the word can also be used to describe a tedious or boring situation, which feels as if it will never reach a conclusion. It is also applied to some flowers, particularly in the aster family.

In Christianity, it is used for the immortality of the soul, with the Gospel of John, chapter three, verse sixteen stating 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life'.

Answer: Pyroclastic

This is another Greek word, deriving from 'pyro' meaning fire and 'clast' meaning broken in pieces. It is normally used in the expression 'pyroclastic flow', which is the mixture of very hot gases and rocks which travel from the volcano after an eruption.

This can reach speeds of as much as 450 miles per hour (700 km per hour) and it was a pyroclastic flow that engulfed the city of Pompeii in 79 AD.

Answer: Outlasting

Outlasting literally means to last longer than. For example dried flowers would outlast fresh flowers. It can also describe someone with more stamina in, for example, a boxing match. Uses in popular culture include the book 'Outlasting the Trail', which describes an American family's trip to California in 1856, and the 1979 album by Arlo Guthrie called 'Outlasting the Blues'.

Answer: Pilaster

A pilaster is built to look like a column, but is attached to or set into a wall for decorative purposes. The word seems to have made its way into English via the French word pilastre. The use of pilasters dates back to Ancient Greek and Roman times and reappeared in the Italian Renaissance. Examples can be found on the Colosseum in Rome and in many European countries, including Britain and Spain.

Answer: Plastering

Plastering is the application of a plaster coat to a wall, which can be internal or external. The earliest plasters were made from lime mixed with limestone, and the Romans used a mixture of lime and sand before finishing with a coat of gypsum, which gave a finer finish. Among the different types of plaster finish are stucco, pebble dash and wattle and daub.

Answer: Elasticity

Elasticity can be appled to any material which has the ability to be deformed and then return to its former shape. In everyday use, it is often used for elastic bands, or rubber bands, which are used to hold a group of objects, for example banknotes, together. Elasticity can also be used as a term in economics and mathematics.